Planning a front garden driveway in Eltham
In Eltham, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Front gardens in much of London are short, so parking depth and the dropped kerb usually decide whether a drive is possible.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Eltham?
Most front garden driveway quotes in London fall within £100–£170 per m² including VAT. A 50 m² double drive would usually be about £5,100–£8,400, with any extras listed separately on your quote.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £100–£170 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £12–£50 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
Guide figures for London, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
We check those three things before anything else. A typical small front garden needs the boundary wall or hedge opened, the ground dug out, a sub-base built and the surface laid so rain drains into a planted strip or through permeable blocks. Keeping a narrow planted border is often what makes the drainage work.
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Rules for front drives in Eltham
Eltham is in England, so these rules apply:
In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.
A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
How it works
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Front garden drives in Eltham: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Eltham?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Is the survey in Eltham free?
Yes, for new paving here: the survey and written quote are free with no obligation. Repairs and cleaning are usually priced from photos, or from a short visit where needed.
Do you cover Welling, Catford and Greenwich?
Yes. We cover Eltham and the places around it, including Welling, Catford and Greenwich, and the rest of Greater London.
How long does a front garden driveway take to build?
Most homes take between three and seven working days, depending on size, the dig and the drainage. Your quote gives the expected duration.
Front garden drives near Eltham
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Welling
- Front garden drives in Catford
- Front garden drives in Greenwich
- Front garden drives in Bexley
- Front garden drives in Beckenham
- Front garden drives in Canning Town
